Misery
by mortianna
Summary: A Polyjuice Playhouse opens its doors, and Severus Snape partakes in the folly, against his better judgment, of course. SS/OCC, SS/OOC, various pairings, het and slash. abuse of good potion and a mysterious person.
1. Default Chapter

I don't know what possesses me, to post this story here on ff.net, too, but I do. Well, of course I know. My hunger for reviews, which is ravening:-)

This piece was written as a response to a challenge on snapeslash on yahoo which read thus: 

"The Daily Prophet is proud to announce the grand opening of 'The Polyjuice Playhouse' specializing in erotic adventure.

Just bring in a token of your dream lover and our Veela trained staff will help you live out your ultimate fantasy. We are licensed and bonded so we can guarantee your privacy. Appointment required."

The challenge is to show who goes there and how do they get the required token to make the polyjuiced work.

Well, I thought I could write something short and smutty. Well, the thing sure is smutty, just the safe side of R perhaps, but short it is not, and it dragged me along to most interesting places I hadn't visited before.

Beware: Will become slash, male/male-relationship, although it might seem otherwise for the time being:-)

One person is of course the beloved potions master, the other one involved is – I can't say that, it would spoil it all. Frequent mention of all people known to you.

So please feed my avaricious appetite, please:-)

People you reconnize in there belong to J.K. Rowling, as always, I shall return them safe and unharmed. It's all a joke, really:-)

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**Misery**

"The world is treating me bad, misery" (Motto for Sev, Beatles)

"Listen, do you want to know a secret, do you promise not to tell" (Motto for story, Beatles)

"The Daily Prophet is proud to announce the grand opening of 'The Polyjuice Playhouse' specializing in erotic adventure.

Just bring in a token of your dream lover and our Veela trained staff will help you live out your ultimate fantasy. We are licensed and bonded so we can guarantee your privacy. Appointment required."

Severus Snape sneered. Of all the utterly superfluous things in the world – werewolves, former prisoners of Azkaban, boys who lived, Weasleys coming in all assortments -, this was a sure bet to win his private cup. Well the whole paper in itself was, why on earth had he grabbed it? Oh, to make sure Albus didn't talk to him. He still bore him some ill will for his latest epiphany. A marriage in the Weasley family was nothing to look forward to. More breeding would only lead to disaster and disaster would strike at Hogwarts, the safest place on earth as the very old and slightly obsolete saying went. And who would be here to prevent further damage? Oh please.

Severus threw the paper his obstinate hand was still clutching on the table and fled the room with his usual gliding movements, fortified with an anger he really couldn't fathom. Why was he so upset? The world was up to no good, as usual. It was silly to let that get to you. Must be the abuse of polyjuice potion, he surmised. That particular potion was not so easy to make, the ingredients being rather obscure, and see hard work go to waste like that, for a trifle such as sexual amusement – it was enough to anger the most peaceful of men, let alone a potions master with a rather nasty temper. 

Of course everybody else was highly excited. Even Albus. Well, of course Albus especially. And the children. And the teachers. The news had spread - how many of the abominable papers were there? He confiscated eleven alone on one day and set each of them on fire. Very satisfying. But each incineration seemed to breed only new copies of the dismal thing. He fumed even more than usual this evening, poking his Brussels sprouts morosely and glaring at a perfectly fine steak. Well, the steak had been fine until it met the eye of the potions master. After this the poor thing was charcoaled and nobody would look at it twice. Snape couldn't endure the whispers and the chatter one minute longer. He left the great hall, with his last glare seeing Granger boasting of how difficult Polyjuice potion was to make and how odd it was to waste it like that. Her partners, who wore a rather glazed look, didn't seem impressed. Neither was Severus, even if he was inclined to not find Granger such a complete and utterly nerve-wrecking know it all as usual.


	2. chapter 2

Not much happening in here, I'm afraid, but has to be done, brick-laying, you know?!:-)

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The next morning found Severus only slightly better. His condition didn't improve when an owl with a ridiculous pink ribbon around its neck dropped a piece of paper on his plate. In his porridge, to say the truth. He picked the paper – lilac, a colour that wasn't exactly his favourite, only a little better than lavender – out of what had been his food with his fingernails. And opened it. His eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, a fact that was made known to him by the innocent question of his fellow teacher, the werewolf, what to hell was the matter with him. Snape gurgled. "The cheek of the people". With that and his robe billowing he got up and left. He wouldn't eat food soiled by that particular piece of rubbish.

The evening found him well-hooded in Hogsmeade. On the premises of that dratted Playhouse. Snape's mouth curled. The cheek was admirable, if nothing else. Playhouse had once been a perfectly innocent word for something where actors acted, and not something which induced the feverish dreams of hormone–crazed teenagers. And their elders who should know better. He pressed his teeth together and knocked on the door. 

He did not have to wait long. A person clad in those abominable colours, but otherwise looking quite unspectacular, opened. Nothing like a Veela, Snape thought, perusing the man. Well, Severus you idiot, he told himself, it said Veela-trained, not Veelas. And what difference does it make how the employees look when they will act someone else most of the time? 

He closed his mouth as far as possible to be still able to talk. Which was quite far. "I'd like to talk to the manager", he said to that person. "About this – invitation". He waved with the piece of paper that horrible owl had ruined his breakfast with. The eyes of the doorkeeper lit up as he perused the sheet of paper in Severus' hands. "Oh, so you are Severus Snape. Madam Aphrodisia will be so pleased to meet you. Come in, Sir, come in". 

Snape was a little surprised. So this creature wasn't from here. Surely everybody in Hogsmeade knew him by sight. He was not to be mistaken for someone else, he was ridiculed for his outfit and looks often enough to know that. And yet, the owneress of the house, his lip curled in disgust, a certain Aphrodisia, seemed to wait for him. Strange. With his luck it was a former student of his, one of the many too dense to make a decent living, who had come up with this desperate means. 

No, he didn't know this woman. Had never seen her in his life. Wouldn't have forgotten her either. Quite a sight. And in possession of a decent brain. And manners. Nothing at all like his students. She let him rant and rave on that abomination of a proposal she sent him, served him tea and talked him into it. Must be the room. It was dark, black and green and very much like his dungeon. The woman was wearing black too. He would never have given in had she been wearing those abominations others had the cheek to call colours. 

And he was out of the room and out of the house and on his way back before he came to think again. And found himself with a new job. He shook his head. How she had done this, was beyond him. Must be the Veela training, he thought. More to it than met the eye. Well, he could make Polyjuice Potion in his sleep. And he could use the money she would pay him to go on a nice long holiday somewhere in the south. Of course he never would use the extra benefit she had offered him. That was really out of the question. Severus Snape felt himself blushing for the first time in years. This meeting had really left an impression on him, one that had actually taken him by surprise. He couldn't recall being that impressed by a woman in years. In his life. Ever. Sod it. It was not so much the looks of her, which he couldn't really remember vividly. It was more how he had felt in her presence. Alive. Young. And foolish. Well, foolish was of course his impression afterwards. After the deed was done. Where ever that witch had been schooled, it had been a good one. Well, could be that she had been in Hogwarts when he hadn't been a teacher yet, even if that seemed to be impossible. He nearly had forgotten about life before being a teacher. But there must have been one. Well, he wouldn't find out. Of course, Aphrodisia was not her real name. Quite ridiculous, as far as names went. But somehow extremely fitting. It was this thought that brought the potions master to an abrupt stop in his thinking. Muttering under his breath he set a swift pace and wouldn't think of it again. He spent the night making Polyjuice potion, though.


	3. chapter 3

Things are getting underway, a bit, at least:-)

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The next few days got more and more annoying. More annoying for nearing end of term even, than usual. He found himself surrounded by fools, what did he say, not only surrounded but cornered. People who hadn't come near him for ages seemed to jump on him in the most absurd places imaginable. Tried to touch him even. Severus didn't like being touched. And he didn't like being followed around by fools. Something must be happening here, he thought, but he couldn't for the life of him fathom what exactly. Sitting idly at dinner, being finished with eating long before the others, he saw that Harry Potter, the saviour etcetera etcetera, looked hounded. Some junior Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws and even one or more of the elder Slytherins nearly tore his shaggy enough clothes apart. An evil smirk crossed his lips. Well, it seemed that fame wasn't everything indeed. 

He felt a move at his side and jerked his head in that direction. "What on earth do you think you are doing there?" he hissed at Minerva, who happened to have a stray black hair between her thin fingers. Interesting. He would never have thought that the deputy headmistress could blush like a school girl, a very silly one at that. Not that she said much. Mumbled something of cleaning up, which was ridiculous, come to think of it, but what did he care if McGonagall was out of her tree? Not his problem. Should Albus see to it. 

He stood up abruptly. The time had come to give the Polyjuice potion its final stir. He nearly tripped over Lupin, who seemed to be so hungry that he had to eat up his left-overs. Or did he want them to take away? Severus snarled at the man. Not that Lupin seemed impressed. He clutched the piece of bread the Potions master had rolled up into a tight little ball like something really precious, and grinned like the moron he was. 

Severus Snape left this madness. He saw that Potter followed him with desperate eyes. He nearly chuckled. Well, not even the famous seeker could get out of the siege that several Weasleys, Creeveys, Patils, Wood, and Hooch had lain him under. And Albus did nothing to free his boy hero. He tapped Potter's shoulder and Severus didn't trust his eyes. Surely, Albus couldn't have ripped a hair of Potter? No, his eyesight must be becoming extremely bad. All that potions steam couldn't be too good. Shaking his head solemnly he was lucky to meet just Malfoy and his bunch on the way to his dungeons, well, Malfoy and the whole of Slytherin, more precise. They talked him out of his used handkerchief, for some reason only Trelawney knew. He didn't care enough for asking. They behaved ridiculous like Gryffindors upon receipt. Someone might even think they were up to something. He shook his head sadly and retreated into his dungeons. The world had turned an even more moronic shade than usual. 

He finished the first batch of potion. Filled it into portion-size bottles, stoppered and labelled them. As always after finishing a potion, he felt quite well. This was one thing he really enjoyed doing on this sad planet. And he was rather good at it. 

He decided to bring the stuff to Hogsmeade himself. He didn't trust the house owls to deliver the bunch of bottles secretly. And his own owl, old and haughty Algernon, would be needing four weeks to get the bottles delivered. And he didn't want to hurt his feelings. After all, it was the only one left from his family and by far the nicest, anyhow. And what time was like the present? Exactly. 

It was a pleasant Friday evening for a walk into Hogsmeade and an astonishing number of students and teachers alike seemed to have become suddenly fond of walking. He met half the pupils of age on his way, and more than a third of the staff. How – strange. And slightly displeasing. He didn't do anything wrong, of course, but people might begin to think about him. He didn't like being thought about, he'd rather not be seen. But the people he met didn't seem to be too eager on being seen, either. They averted his eyes as much as was possible and some had faces of rather fetching shades of red. Well if one liked red, and there had only been one person in his life who ... But there was no point in thinking about that right now. That person was far away and how much the better. Severus straightened his already painfully erect spine and moved on. 

The place was rather more crowded than the last time he visited and reeked of magic. He was sure that there were lots of rooms and lots of people but he didn't see anyone other than the door man. He turned around, to look if he was watched. He had used a light invisibility charm for being around the house, but better be careful. There seemed to be movement behind, but nothing he could really lay his hands on. He shrugged and let down the charm enough for the doorman to see and recognize him. 

He was shown into the room of last time. He couldn't just give the doorman the precious drug, now could he? Simply not. He was a master and would only consort with equals. Had nothing to do with a voice in his mind that was rather fond of meeting that woman again. He hadn't wait for long. 

With fluent movements and just a touch of shine on her brow, showing the busy state of business, Snape guessed, Madam Aphrodisia turned up in the room Snape was waiting for her. She was wearing black again, fluid and slightly shiny robes, much like his own and then – definitely not. His robes didn't float around him like that, and surely didn't show his form that distinctly and yet discreetly. Well, his form was quite different from that of this woman anyhow and nobody would have wanted to look at him like that.

She came quite close, standing directly in front of him, her auburn hair touching his forehead. She had a crease between her arched brows as if she had difficulty seeing him. Severus Snape, potions master of Hogwarts, and most terrifying teacher of all times, most terrifying former death eater, well, if you didn't count Voldemort himself and perhaps Lucius Malfoy, found it quite difficult to breathe under the attack on his senses. She smelled like no woman had a right to smell. And only the touch of a touch of her hair made him feel dizzy. And he realized with a terror he hadn't felt since Voldemort's defeat, that he had an urgent wish to explore the body beneath the robe. And no woman had the right to induce that wish in him. He tried to get away from this sorceress, this temptress, this – Helena, and hit the wall behind. 

The woman followed, squinting her eyes even more. They were of the strangest colour he had ever seen and he felt the urge to look into them to make it out. Exactly. Scientifically. Yes. Just like that. They were brown and green and grey and just a touch of blue. They were iridescent. Irritating. No eyes had the right to be like that.

Somehow her head had come closer again. Her eyes lost that irritated air and opened. Green definitely, no, brown. And her mouth opened as well, lips that were luscious beyond words, curled, as if in a dream, a very wicked dream. He never had dreams of the sort. She smiled. Severus found it harder to breathe and his robes not as voluminous as he had thought. This came as one of the biggest shocks of his life. 

"Severus, is that you? I can hardly see you". The voice sounded a bit irritated, but warm and tender and touched him as no voice had the right to touch him. Especially not one of that timbre. She couldn't see him? Oh well, she could touch him well enough. Severus looked along his nose on a hand that was well groomed but not especially feminine, lying on his own. It was not so very much smaller in comparison. Severus had the desperate feeling that he was blushing. No, that couldn't be. He had lost that human capacity long ago, together with lots of other things, his innocence and belief in a supernatural being that ruled the earth with kindness. Well, other than Albus Dumbledore, and he wasn't too sure about that one either.

And he was not trembling either. What had she said? She couldn't see him. Oh. Idiot. He muttered the spell that removed the invisibility charm completely. She started, as he suddenly rose out of the shadows, but didn't loose the touch of him. No, his robes didn't show anything. He had spelled them to hide each and everything when he started teaching. Couldn't be too careful there, now could he? Wouldn't do to work for Voldemort and Albus, and juggling the most explosive ingredients that were his life and get sacked because of an unruly part of his body that insisted on having human reactions. No, no robe of his showed the potions master in his true state. And how much better for everyone concerned. Or not concerned. Why would such a splendid creature would have anything to do with him? Sour, dour, evil-spirited, mean and nasty Snape? Well, if he himself could overcome his natural inhibitions against this special woman, her job and gender. Well, it would never do.

"Oh there you are", her voice was husky, and a little amused. Her hand stroked about his and the wrist above it and sent sparks through his veins. He swallowed and just watched her. He couldn't have moved just now, if the whole of Hogwarts had entered the room, followed by selected death eaters. 

"You brought me something?" Her voice reached his ear again after how much time he couldn't tell. He shook himself out of his reverie. Surely, he must have looked like an idiot, gaping at her like Longbottom at him, understanding nothing. Now, there was a good thought. Longbottom! That would do to come back to business. Potions. Right?


	4. chapter 4

And more under way…

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He searched in his pockets. His robes had lots of them and he brought loads of miniature bottles out of them and set them onto a nearby table. He reached for his wand, and found it after some difficulty, after all there was too much going on in his robes despite the thought of Longbottom, swished it and enlarged the bottles to their true state. Then he turned around to watch Aphrodisia. He really would like to know her true name. For sure it was something trivial like Daphne or some such. He didn't mind. Severus and Daphne Snape are proud to announce... Severus and Aphrodisia Wellercotton-Snape are happy to invite you ... Severus shook his head in utter horror. What had been done to him? Surely there must be something in the air here, that made his mind wander off into shallow depths of degradation he would have never imagined to reach in his most potent nightmares. He would never be happy to invite anyone to anything, it just wasn't in his character. Just like marrying was not in his character.

He sniffed the air suspiciously. Aphrodisia caught him at it and smiled. He couldn't refrain from smiling back, especially not when she set to tend to the bottles as meticulously as he himself had done. He even forgave her that she cleaned them as if they might be soiled coming from him. When she felt his gaze upon her, she smiled apologetically. She needn't have, Snape thought. He had come across few persons who shared his special obsession with meticulous tidiness. Obviously he had happened upon another, in a whorehouse of all places. Life was a mystery, cruel and deceptive.

Well, not when a woman like that smiled and beamed at him and tugged at his hand in a gesture that would have had him mad with vengeance if anyone else had attempted it. He was not the one to take intruding of his private sphere kindly. "Oh, Severus, thank you so much. How wonderful of you to come by and bring the potion. We are in urgent need of it. In fact, so much so, that I have to leave you and bring the bottles to the places where they are wanted, desperately. We are quite overwhelmed with the reception of our humble little idea here" 

Snape's face fell. Leave? Had she said leave? But he had only just arrived. And there remained the salary issue. She couldn't leave like that. He felt some of his old temper return and was about to show it, when Aphrodisia said: "Or wait, would you like to see what it does?" 

No, he wouldn't, come to think of it. He never had been a voyeur, thank you very much. Well, he never had been much of anything, really. Not when it came to – that. But he didn't want her to leave him. He felt her push onto his hand with a finger, just a little. When he looked up into her face, he was not sure that he glared as best as he could. She smiled like an angel. "You don't have to see any atrocities, though. Trust me." 

He didn't trust her, he was no fool. He hadn't trusted anybody for years. Wouldn't begin here of all places and now of all times. But something in himself wouldn't let her go either. "I admit to not having erased a streak of curiosity in myself as much as I should have", he said, reluctantly. She laughed out loud, grabbed his hand harder and dragged him with her. "Well, I see there's hope. Perhaps you haven't erased all other traits of humanity in yourself, either". He did glare at her on that, but she only brushed her left thumb lightly over the crease between his brows and stroked it into oblivion. Magic, indeed. No other person had come so close to him for years, and this woman dared to touch him. Wanted to touch him. Like that was the normal thing to do. And he, Severus Snape, didn't cut her hand off for it. On the contrary. He felt strangely peaceful. And not so strangely attracted. It was weird, for loss of longer words.

He let himself get dragged along. The air sizzled with magic of different kinds. Silencing charms, door-closing charms, libido-enhancing charms. He was sure of the last one. Really sure. He had the feeling that behind every door there were at least two persons, busy, but he couldn't hear a thing. It was very disconcerting. Every moment someone could come out of one room and see him here. And then what was left of his reputation was down the gutter. Well, so would be the reputation of whomever he met here. Severus smiled evilly. This whole business had damaged his brain. He should have thought about it before. He had nothing to fear. He was the teacher, looking for his students. That was his role, had been for years.

"Albus?", he said, when a door opened and a white-haired man bedecked with a long beard and half-moon spectacles and not much more came out. The man looked at him a bit taken aback. "Severus! How good of you to come by – and you're good. Whoever you are, they must have gotten some really helpful ingredient of you. Is that new potion? Thanks a lot. Mr. Potter and I need some more here. See you, dear." And with that the door closed, but only after Severus had caught a glimpse of a creamy white teenage body, who was in shockingly stark contrast to the age of the man he had just seen. 

He looked at his guide in horror. "Was that really Albus Dumbledore? Or really Harry Potter?" He couldn't even think the worst possibility. Truly that was an idea too devilish for any Gryffindor to ponder. Even Albus. Setting up a Polyjuice Whorehouse just to have his ways with the real Harry – no, that was surely taking paranoia a bit far, even for him.

She smiled at him, rather mysteriously. She was not only Helena, but the Sphinx. "Who knows? And who should tell? Secret of the trade, really." They walked along a corridor, and up a few steps in silence, and then she opened the door for him with a smile that was much too knowing to be comforting. Not that he needed comfort. He simply was a bit anxious to find assorted Weasleys and more Harrys in the room, but there were only people in pre-Polyjuice stadium, to his utter relief. Well, as far as he could tell. He sensed another faint smile of his hostess, when she introduced him to her employees. "This is Severus Snape, our saviour. He has brought the potion." 

"Oh wonderful", one man got up and grabbed one bottle out of the hands of Aphrodisia. "And high time it was. There is a customer who was not amused to hear that he had to wait. His cane was already hissing." He shared a knowing smile with Aphrodisia and with a look on Severus the sense of which he couldn't quite make out, left the room. Aphrodisia gave each of the attendees a bottle, and they left in a flurry of pink and lilac. Severus' mouth curled in disgust, but he found his curiosity was piqued. 


	5. chapter 5

Some action …oh well and warning for mention of bestiality. Of sorts… will ff.net take this?

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He looked at his hostess and noticed she had carefully secured the remaining bottles in a closet. Now she was waving a wand. His jaw dropped down rather sillily, but all she did was conjuring up - "tea?", he asked not quite believing his eyes. "Yes", she said and settled gracefully on a nearby couch. It was of a dark lilac that wasn't that bad. And suited her just fine, Severus thought. "Join me", and she waved her hand in a gesture Severus found irresistible. He plopped down near her with a little less grace than was usual for him. Neither of them spoke for a while. There was no sound but the sipping of tea and the mumbling on quite tasty butter scotch biscuits. No pumpkins, anywhere, Severus was thankful for it. But he couldn't quite relax. Not in this company and not knowing what was going on around them, in the other rooms. His cheeks lit up with the steam of the tea. He looked into the far, with a thoughtful air he had honed to perfection in years of boredom with the children. Not that he was bored. Not exactly.

"So, would you like to see something special? A special combination you always wanted to see, Severus? Or would you rather we talk about your – payment?" The quiet hostess of just a minute ago had turned into a sorceress, a temptress, a disturbing image of sexual prowess and knowledge. Severus managed not to swallow too visibly. He was not used to people being so openly sexual. Well, Sirius Black had had his days, but that was long ago and he had always hated Sirius. Quite. 

"I'd rather sit here in quiet and then take my payment and leave for Hogwarts", he mumbled. "There are papers to grade. I haven't all the time in the world for pleasure, like other people seem to have." He sounded like a first class hypocrite and a fool, and Severus Snape had never considered himself being either. This was rather educating, this visit, if truly humiliating. He stopped talking and stared against the opposite wall, his eyes realizing for the first time what they saw. It was a shepherd scene, complete with Zeus as the white bull, young Europe, someone who looked suspiciously like Dumbledore but Severus considered must be Merlin, some blossoming girls, some booming boys, and dragons, and dogs. And sheep. The weirdest thing was that it was rather artistically tasty, if in a naturalistic manner that would shock pruder wizards than Severus Snape. Whose eyes got drawn into the scenery, watching a red-haired boy, barely a man, offering himself to a dark-haired wizard twice his age, by opening his own flowing shirt and grabbing the other man in a place that showed the other's approval more than obviously. Severus gulped and snarled: "Stop that". 

"As you wish", the voice of Aphrodisia came closer. It had become lower and purring, he noticed with the part of his brain that wasn't busy with sorting in the images that flooded it. Red hair, red hair, the boy, offering himself, it was not to be endured. The picture swung away and left a window in the wall. Severus looked at Aphrodisia, utterly shocked. She just shrugged her shoulders and grinned that half-sided smile of hers. "You like it more realistic, don't you?" Severus wanted to contradict her, berate her, sully her with words, but it was too late. His eyes had a will of their own and watched the scene in the next room. He couldn't exactly scold his eyes for their taste. The scene that unfolded before them was awful and wonderful at the same time. Like having to teach seventh years Slytherins and Gryffindors every day.

Funny how a mind worked. The ensemble in the other room consisted to a large part of this special array of persons. Two-thirds, to be exact. Plus an additional sixth year Gryffindor. Making it three Gryffindors against one Slytherin. Well not exactly against. And Mr. Malfoy, whoever he was, was doing quite well. As were Potter, Granger, and the little Weasley, whatever was her name, Ginevra or some such. They were a nice tableau, but not giving Snape any pleasure besides scientific (he would have never thought that four people could do THAT at the same time) and what he termed artistic ones. There was nothing to be said against young bodies of either sex, they where an eyeful, indeed, but not one of them had ever caught his fancy. He found that his biggest interest, so to speak, was to get his curiosity satisfied. "Who is the polyjuiced one here?", he asked, watching his fingernails and attempting a casual voice to trap Aphrodisia, who looked at the scene with detached amusement. She cocked an eyebrow at him as he talked, though, and shook her head as if denying a wilful child a brazen wish, but nicely. 

"So this isn't your cup of tea, Severus. I can truly say that relieves me". And she smiled in that seducing way again, which impressed Severus much more than the scene before. She swished her wand and urged him to look again at the window.

The picture had changed. Severus draw in his breath rather loudly when he realised that one of the actors was – himself. He blushed furiously and hid behind his tea cup. Who would be so dunderheaded as to wish someone polyjuiced into him? His jaw fell deeper and deeper, as Aphrodisia showed him, with quick swishes of her wand, just who exactly wanted someone polyjuiced into Snape.

McGonagall.

Another Dumbledore. 

Black. And Lupin. In canine and human form.

Draco Malfoy. 

Draco and Lucius Malfoy. 

Draco and Crabbe and Goyle.

Harry Potter. Diverse Harry Potters. With Weasley, on top. With Granger and Weasley on top.

Longbottom. And his toad.

The whole of Gryffindor seventh year. Male. 

Half of Slytherin seventh, sixth, and fifth year. Besides Malfoy and his goons. Male and female.

Assorted Weasleys. Well, the twins. Astonishingly versatile with wands. And brooms.

The Gryffindor Quidditch team.

The Slytherin Quidditch team.

The whole staff.

The ghosts.

Filch. And his cat. 

Hagrid. With Fang. 

There were even some Voldemorts, doing unspeakable things to him. Some tableaux had the decency to let Snape do unspeakable things to Voldemort. Be that as it might. Snape's jaw nearly hit the floor and his body twitched with embarrassment.

There were some images where he didn't discern himself. But they were few and far apart.

He looked at Aphrodisia helplessly and tried to open his mouth. "This is abominable. How?" She smiled a smile which might have been a bit compassionate. "Well, you seem to be quite popular. I'm not stretching the rules too far, I think, when I tell you, that we could use some – tokens - of you. There was demand for more. Not everybody could come across a piece of hair of you or something."

Severus stared at her in disgust. "You can't mean it." She looked at him with a cool air that was completely incomprehensible. Or no. Completely comprehensible. After all, it was not she, whom they had seen engaged in all kinds of carnal pleasures with most of Hogwarts. At the same time. In the same room, even. 

"Of course I do mean it. It would satisfy a need. Not everybody who wishes to dares touch you, when you are yourself." She chuckled and gave him a look that spoke volumes. Severus didn't care to read. "You see, you are the most popular one, together with Potter, I think. And we could earn buckets, if you handed us some – samples. You would of course be – rewarded." The woman had closed the gap between them with her last words. Severus felt his throat constrict and his hands turn into claws that held to the sofa. He wouldn't move. He wouldn't. 

Her lips were before him. Very close before him. And they were not painted, how unusual really, for a woman of her trade. That would have made it a whole lot easier. To resist. The lips opened. "Did you like it?" His old trick. Voice nearly inaudible. So that you were forced to listen closely. More closely. Even against your will. "Did you enjoy seeing yourself – in action?" 

To his utter humiliation, he had. His body had reacted. Well, apart from the disgust he felt, watching himself, his body, torn apart, tearing apart, and on the whole doing things he had never thought of doing. Well, his body had been quite intrigued by watching itself. Doing it. Must be contagious. Like leprosy. Well, wrong image. His member didn't exactly seem to shrivel and rot away. Quite to the contrary.

That infuriating woman nodded slowly, thoughtfully. Her unfathomable eyes were staring into his and she asked: "Do you want your payment now?"

"What?", was his extremely silly reply. Something about her told him she wasn't talking about sickles and knuts just now. And his body insisted on listening to her quite intently. So intently his spell was sorely tempted. His cock nearly drove a whole in his best robe. Damned. He shouldn't have done that. Come here. Bring Polyjuice. Drink tea. Watch those – atrocities. 

He felt her lips on his own. Very light, only a hint of a touch. He was surprised, never the less. Hadn't he read somewhere, in some confiscated magazine or other, that whores didn't kiss their clients? Well, he was not exactly a client, or was he? And Aphrodisia was the boss, not an employee. And her lips tasted wonderful. 

He came up after a long time. And found to his utter amazement that his state of arousal hadn't dwindled. Quite on the contrary. After all, lips were lips, or so it seemed. It helped that the lip owner in question was wearing robes too, hiding the gender of said owner. Perhaps he could really do it. But there was something amiss, he couldn't ignore that. They were so close and the only shaft risen was his own. That felt very strange and nearly ridiculously insulting.

"Well", he said and still was not sure what to answer. It was a risk, a great risk to look very idiotic indeed. He was taken aback by the sound of his own voice. Why was he so breathless? 

The woman just looked at him. She didn't grin or anything. "Well what?" She looked a bit flushed and her eyes were blue now. Blue like -, well finest dark blue. Her hair looked redder and he felt a spark in him to get on with it. After all, he had earned it. Rightfully. He looked at her, taking her whole figure in. Her chest was heaving as after a long hard run. Well, perhaps not. It was not a chest, hard and strong, it was a breast. Breasts, to be more exact. No. Thank you, but no. 

He pulled himself out of the embrace with more effort than he had thought necessary. His lips if no other part of his body seemed rather fond of kissing. If that had been all, he would have gone on and on. But it was not fair. "I think not", he said and for once in his life he didn't want to hurt the other person with his words. "I don't think I can take this kind of payment. It wouldn't be the action of a gentleman, whatever that may mean." He didn't know where that came from, something buried deep down inside of him, but he really couldn't say: 'Look, I like kissing you and feel attracted to you but I can't fuck anyone with breasts. Bad character trait, I'm sure, but sorry. Can't be helped. Don't take it personally.' 

He held the gaze of Aphrodisia. After all he was a former death eater and spy. He had held the gaze of Voldemort more often than he could count, after a lie much more dangerous to his health than this one. She was lying back in the cushions of the sofa and looked back. He felt hot and cold. Why oh why did she attract him so? No other woman would have come even close. Her hair was not that red, and her eyes not that blue, it must have been an optical illusion, brought on by a bout of hormones he couldn't remember having for years. Yes, that and the strangely seducing background. 

She laughed. A low rumbling laugh that made him feel even worse. He stared at her, frowning. How could she laugh like that? After a rejection like that? He himself would have – and had.

"That was not part of the payment, Severus", she said, pressing a handkerchief to her eyes in a gesture that was wonderfully old-fashioned. "That was just a kiss, between friends. Or colleagues, as you wish."

"Colleagues?" he asked dumbly. "I don't kiss my colleagues, thank you very much." 

"Pity", she said, "seems like you could profit from it. You became quite relaxed, actually. Well, in parts."

He didn't blush. No, he didn't. 

"Whom do you kiss then, Severus?", she asked. "Students?"

He felt his face turn hot with rage. "I would never do that", he hissed. Well, he hadn't. Not really. Not like that. And only once.

"Pity", she said again. "Whom do you kiss then, Severus?"

"Nobody", he grunted. "Is this any of your business, you suppose?" How had he come into this dilemma, in the first place? Had he given her leave to dissect him, just because he had a bad conscience because he couldn't fuck her after all that kissing? He should have staid a death eater. Far less trouble with all this conscience stuff. 

"No of course not", she said and put the handkerchief away. Her eyes were as multi-coloured as before. She brought her body into an upright position. "I'm not part of the payment, Severus. I'm devastated that you should think of me like that." Severus looked a bit guilty but her eyes twinkled. "I'm the boss of this business, and my duties don't include – hands-on ones". She let that sink. So she didn't polyjuice into someone and really get into action? He felt relieved and scolded himself for it. Why should that interest him? It was not his business what this woman did, not at all.

"I kissed you because I felt like doing it. It felt good." He was shocked again. If everybody would act like that, just on a whim, what would the world become? Even more of a doghouse than it was already. Well, people wanting to kiss him was a new concept in that doghouse. Not to think about what exactly many people seemed to want to do to him. His throat constricted under another vivid image of a red head bobbing up and down. No. Nooo. 

"The – payment - would be delivered by one of my employees. Do you have anyone special into whom you would like someone polyjuiced?" 

His cock sprang at the idea. She couldn't see that, but she could see the dark gleam in his eyes. "I see", she said slowly. "And do you have the ingredient needed therefore?" Oh yes, he had. He nodded. Her eyes didn't leave his. "So you will come back, Severus, and bring the ingredient? And have your deepest wish fulfilled?" He thought about it. "I will think about it", he answered and got up. 

She followed his movement effortlessly. "Do that, Severus" she said darkly. "Do that and don't be too shy to ask for anything you might want. You are our most important asset, our mentor and saviour and with the tea and the biscuits you touched but didn't eat, we can make many people happy. Besides earning more buckets of gold, that is, of course". She grinned in a way that reminded him of the Weasley twins. Mischievous and utterly amoral. His body showed him that he didn't think as highly of morals as his head did. 

"If I were willing to cut off my lips, there would be even more money possible", she said thoughtfully. At his look of utter shock, she laughed out loud. "Don't worry, I'm not that desperate for money." "I'm relieved", he said dryly. He couldn't know, now could he? Why would anybody set up a business such as this if it weren't for financial reasons? Well, the people he had seen earlier seemed to enjoy their work. Quite anxious to get on with it, if he recalled correctly. But she didn't do these things, she had said. Thinking of which …

"If I did indeed come back with the – ingredient, I wouldn't like to have another person involved", he said, pronouncing each syllable very carefully. He didn't want to spread the rumours of his fall more than was necessary. Aphrodisia looked at him and nodded, slowly. "It would be a privilege and my pleasure, Severus".


	6. chapter 6

And aktschn – warning: we are nearing the R-zone. Beware!

***********************

"Right then", Severus said and turned to leave. He had a lump in his throat he couldn't swallow. "I shall return some day."

"I truly hope so", were the last words he heard before leaving. Severus didn't bother to put on his invisibility charm. From all he had seen there was nobody in any position to scold him, should he meet anyone. He didn't look forward to his teaching or the meals. The thought that nearly everyone in Hogwarts wanted to have their evil ways with him, was a bit disconcerting. If flattering. But really, very uncomfortable.

He took to his rooms and summoned some late dinner from the house elves. He would do that for some time now. It was not exactly unusual for him to do that. He undressed and showered and put on a new nightgown and only then, as pure as a man of his age and past could be, did he open a little phial, usually lying in his bedside table, invisible for everyone who might pass by - extremely unlikely but Severus was not the one to take risks, well hadn't been one to take risks, damn it – warded with heavy spells. The phial he opened with shivering hands held a single lock. A red lock.

Severus was taken back into the past with a flash of light. He didn't indulge in this special memory often, it was too powerful. Only once had he been sorely tempted to trespass on the boundaries, to eat from the forbidden fruit and of course everything had ended as dismally as even his conscience could demand. The boy had left Hogwarts and gone into his own life. He had never seen him again. There had only been this one moment in time, one of an endless flood of moments. Surely he could do nothing wrong now, not after all these years, if he let himself have him, and not him, just for a little – relief? It wouldn't break his heart, now, would it? That was a concept so silly that he really had to do it, just to prove he could. Being thus convinced, Severus stroked himself into sleep, another very rare occurrence and mostly these two happened to happen together. 

He went about his business as usual for the next days and pretended not to notice the strange and rather hormone-ridden gazes at him. Should they gape and play their ludicrous games, no one would catch Severus Snape reacting to any of it. He was a patient man. 

It was the next Friday that found Severus with a new batch of potion on his way to Hogsmeade. He hadn't made an appointment. If Madam Aphrodisia's presence was required elsewhere, he would just deliver that potion and leave and that would be it with the fulfilment of stupid dreams. Severus grinned evilly under his hood. He liked playing games with fate. He was so sure to loose. Which would be so much better. So much more like what he expected his life to be. 

"What?", he asked rather stupidly, as one of the employees in the house informed him that Madam Aphrodisia was busy but would be delighted to see him and would he please take a seat. He couldn't refuse and found himself thinking about her "business" more than he liked. What was she doing? And with whom? With another special client? Another saviour? A very important person? His mouth set into a thin line. He was so ridiculous. Jealous of someone he didn't know, didn't know existed, because of someone he wouldn't have himself. His life reached new heights of degradation he hadn't thought possible after Voldemort. 

He was deep in his thoughts when the door opened and Aphrodisia came gliding in, a little out of breath and flushed. Severus couldn't help his lip curl. "Severus, I'm so sorry I wasn't here right away. But now I'm all here for you". She came over to where he was sitting and ignoring his rigid state of unholy indignation completely, leaned down and kissed him lightly on the lips. It felt nice, like last time. 

Severus handed over the bottles, and she put them away, closing the cupboard safely. Her eyes rested on him. "And have you brought something else?", she asked. He nodded, not able to hide his breath hitching. "Good", she said and a beaming smile crossed her face. "Then let's go into another room, shall we?"

He hesitated. "Nobody can watch the room we are going to", she comforted him. Could she read his mind? Was he that easy? And why should he trust her? And why should he not? Nobody could know that he was the right one, after all. Severus admitted, to himself only and grudgingly at that, that this whole idea of polyjuicing led to freedoms heretofore unknown. Freedom that was not good for everyone, of course, but surely a man his age was able to live with a dream fulfilled and still hold on to reality. 

They had entered a room that looked like all the others he had seen through the hole in the wall. Not that he had watched the furniture too closely. Nothing special, there was no need for that right now, not in a wizard establishment. There was another door, perhaps to a bathroom. They stood in silence trying to get accustomed to the other and to the idea. Well, at least Severus was doing that. 

"The ingredient?", she asked and opened her hand. He reached into his robe and brought the phial with the lock out. He would not run away now, not anymore. He was here and he would do it and get it out of the system. It was ridiculous, was it not, that he still had a liking like that after all the years? He opened the bottle and gave her the lock. Her brow lifted, questioningly. "Do I have to know who I become?", she asked. He thought about that. He would rather not be humiliated by saying the name that haunted his dreams aloud. "No", she answered her own question. "Not necessary. You tell me – the person you want, that is, what it is you want. No need for me to know." 

She kissed him lightly on the lips again and wandered off to the bath. "Back in a second. Make yourself comfortable."

Severus looked around. There he was, Severus Snape, in a whorehouse, awaiting his dream lover, an illusion brought to him by the owner of said house. Life was a joke, a bad one really. But he would enjoy this special one with all his might. He conjured up an enormous four poster that filled most of the room. The kinky stuff could come later, if there was any need for it. At the moment he would be quite satisfied with the presence of that certain someone. 

Overwhelmed was more like it. He had just decided that he would take off his outer layer of clothes, when a voice he had only heard in his dreams for years said: "Severus?"


	7. chapter 7

Here comes the smut. And the solution. Only an epilogue to follow…

**********************************

He turned around slowly. 

Yes. Yes. And yes.

He was there. Perfect. Naked and perfect. Severus felt his body rise to the occasion. He wanted to say something, anything, to make the air less tense, make himself feel less pathetic. But he couldn't. He knew full well that this was not more than an illusion, he really did, but his body and soul didn't give a damn. They wanted to believe, desperately. And they won. 

The other man came closer. His body was reacting too. Strange, when he thought about it, but his brain was alone with the task and gave up, too, when the man was near. Dark blue eyes fell into black ones, the other man was nearly as tall as Severus and as thin. His hair was a curly brownish red mop. Severus' eyes tried to take in the whole picture but other parts of his body had other just as urgent needs. Touch, smell, feel. Yes, feel. 

"What took you so long?", the voice of the other man sounded strangely strangled, when Severus pulled him closer, slowly, oh so slowly, as if he still couldn't believe what he saw and felt. "I don't know", whispered Snape in a voice that was as subdued with feeling. Then he pulled the face of the other man close enough to kiss and kiss he did. 

And there was no disturbing lack of anything then, nothing was too much, nothing missing. It was perfect. Completely and utterly perfect. He had kissed this man once, but they had parted before anything more could happen, the other, merely a boy then, and a truly special one at that, as outraged by their trespassing the rules as he himself. He had returned, the morning after, but until then Severus had summoned up enough courage and venom to send him away, forever. And all he had left as a reminder of his stupidity was the stray lock, originally thought for preparing a potion in class, but failing to go to that fate by someone blowing up a cauldron. The boy had helped him to bring the situation under control, as always, and they ended up alone in class, counting the losses. Well, no real loss had to be counted among them, not anything that was really worth mentioning. Snape had lost contact with his heart long before. He didn't miss it – much.

It beat strongly, just now, at that. The illusion was perfect. The boy was not as he had been when Snape had last seen him, but as he would be now. His hair was longer, for once, and he didn't wear glasses. Snape wondered shortly about that. Not that he minded. The longer hair framed the delicate face just wonderfully. His brain was in no position to argue. It insisted, astonishingly enough, on enjoying what was given. For once, and together with his body. And so he did.

His hands roamed about the naked body. Thin, yes, but strong. Much like his own. It was the similarity between them that had attracted him first. Not of the body. That had come later. One day, in a flash of self-knowledge that really hurt, he had seen himself in Percy, trying so hard to get the attention he craved. Doing everything for it. The third Weasley in a row of others much more spectacular than himself – if only in trouble-making - had chosen slightly other means than little lonely Severus. But their goal was the same. Severus had snorted at his own delusions then, and put them deep down inside, together with other things he just wouldn't think about. But from that point in time onwards he had watched the boy. Well, and then, on this fatal morning of double potions, it had seemed as if he hadn't been the only one watching. 

Watching wouldn't do right now. Was not enough. By far. He pressed the man closer to himself, clung to him with lips and hands and everything. Ah, he thought, would be much better with less clothes on. 

"Let me", the other muttered and deft fingers opened his robe completely, then the overcoat, then the shirt, and then there was a loud sigh when naked body met naked body. A peaked nipple brushed goose-pimpled skin, then the bodies crashed together. 

Severus blinked. She, he was good. There had not only been his sigh. Well, no need to think about that right now. Feel, touch. Kiss. Try not to end it too soon. Try to get your trousers off, first. At least.

Kissing. Kissing was just fine, as far as it went. Lead to other things. Kissing like that at least did. His mind was foggy and his knees wobbly. He secured his mouth with a wet sound that would have annoyed him under different circumstances. He was panting. My god, someone might think he hadn't done this for years. And that someone would be right. He didn't recall that just kissing led to such arousal and made one feel like one had run a mile at high speed. Well, more like flown on a broomstick for a whole day. And couldn't get rid of the stick afterwards.

He looked into the eyes that had needed glasses long ago. They seemed to see well enough nowadays. Or perhaps not. So much the better. They blinked, now, and a throaty voice said: "What do you want me to do, Severus?" 

Snape gulped. Reminiscences flooded his brain. Ever so eager, such a good pupil, always out to satisfy the teacher. Ridiculed by his class mates for being the teacher's pet, a lick spit and an ass-kisser. Well, that would be just right. For the beginning. 

He let his eyes roam about the face and body of the other man. "Everything". His voice was barely a whisper.

The eyes of the man who was Percy Weasley lit up. As did his face. Redheads were so telling, their skin just couldn't hide anything. Severus thought it – cute. He knew he was in danger, but willing to drown in it. "Good", whispered the boy and went down on him. 

Severus managed not to groan when an eager mouth sucked on his throat, his collar bone, his left nipple. He managed not to gasp when a hot wet tongue dipped into his navel, swirled around and licked it thoroughly. But when the fingers that had opened his robe so deftly, stroked along the waistband of his trousers, crawling into them, just a little, he couldn't help bucking helplessly. 

The dark red head moved – in the wrong direction. Deep eyes looked at him with a hint of amusement. "I got your clue already, there's no need to press the point". Severus managed not to pant. He only breathed through clenched teeth. "You were always a quick study, Mr. Weasley. But you always wanted to get extra mention for it."

"Oh did I?", the youth kneeling before him traced the outline of his cock with his fingers. Snape did not buck again, just not. "Yes", he hissed. On a second glance from the youth he added: "Yes, you were always so desperate for recognition." "Oh, was I?", hot breath followed the fingers. "Yes", Snape hissed again. "You were. It was one of your more endearing traits. Now you have wasted your time with being in the company of your siblings far too much. I can tell. They have rubbed off on you. I discover traits of William's stubbornness. And of course the impudence of these god-forsaken twins." His breath grew more ragged as the breath was followed by just the faintest touch of lips. "Not to mention the formidable Mr. Ronald Weasley, valiant knight of Mr. Potter himself."

There was a bite. A very light one, but still. Severus did not scream. No. He panted helplessly as the mouth left him and dark blue eyes looked at him through dark lashes. Astonishing, come to think of it, how dark the lashes of this boy were. Not at all the rat-like white and rosy ones some of the others had.

"Talking about impudence", a voice that was lower and softer than he remembered, said. "Don't you think it is a bit unfortunate, that you call on my brothers now and here? This is to satisfy you deepest dreams. Am I to conclude that you would like them here, too? That could be arranged, you know." 

Severus set his lips in a thin line. Damn! He had done it again. Nearly driven the incarnation of boy away, for fear of being hurt. Just like last time. Hurting before you get hurt. Not indulging in his fantasies, no not he. Trust Severus Snape to drive away the fulfilment of his dreams, just when fulfilment was in reach.

He bit his lip. "No I wouldn't", he muttered with as much venom as was left him with his body aflame. The boy wouldn't expect him to apologise, now would he? And if he did, he would be sadly mistaken. 

A satisfied, nearly smug grin crossed the handsome face. "Good", the young man breathed again and the head bent down. "Don't fight it, Severus, relax."

Well how could he possibly relax? Severus Snape stifled a groan as the lips he had longed for for years covered his still clothed erection adding more wetness to what had been a perfectly sensible garment. Deft fingers opened the buttons that held the cloth in place and the fingers of the other hand crawled into the sliding pants, as if they couldn't wait. Severus felt his hips buck helplessly and his knees tremble pathetically. He stumbled across the room a few steps, just enough to sit down rather gracelessly onto the big bed, dragging the boy with him. 

That was so much better, he decided. The strength he had needed to keep up a standing position was very useful elsewhere. Hold his equilibrium or what was left of it, when the boy slid down his pants. They pooled across his ankles on the floor. Now there was only a very thin line to cross. A silken one. 

Dark blue eyes grinned at him. The boy had changed, quite a bit. Well, wait, it was not the boy. No, no need to go there. For all appearances it was him. And appearances were what counted, were they not? The mouth that was so much like his own, a thin line under most circumstances, smiled. "Dressed yourself up a little, didn't you?"

Severus managed to breathe evenly. Well, nearly evenly under the very light fondling of fingers through the soft cloth and an even lighter breath on it. "How would you know? I can't remember – argh". Now the breathing had turned to touching. Wet lips touching him through soft silk. Well, there was something said for silk, definitely. The book had been right. Severus fell back on the bed and closed his eyes. He did not pant, not really. And he didn't object as the new silken underpants were subjected to a treatment he wasn't sure became them. The wet lips were followed by a wicked tongue that made the cloth even wetter. And his erection more painful.

But the boy had always been a painstakingly diligent student. That hadn't changed, it seemed. Must have been deeply ingrained in the lock of hair. Even under these circumstances the Potions master in Severus couldn't help but wonder. Must have been more in that one lock than had met the eye. Percy didn't turn to the matter most urgently at hand. No. He set on licking the whole body of Snape from toes to ears and backwards.

Snape had never experienced anything the like, ever. And his whole body was so aroused, his nerve ends tingling almost painfully, that when the lips met his left nipple again, hands holding his hips, he came. Helplessly, swearing and hips bucking against the hands like mad. Then he fell back onto the bed and passed out. At least partly. He was still dimly aware of the surroundings, of another being, breathing and touching, but he couldn't move, not for the life of him.

For some minutes. Then he was able to lift his head a few inches when he tried. He met the gaze of the boy that reminded him very much of his time in school. That same grin he had had when proud of achieving something, being best in anything. Of course Snape hadn't acknowledged it then. But he would have given points to Gryffindor, and lots of them, if he had had the slightest inkling that Percy was still so dependent on praise. But it seemed he hadn't only changed on the outside. He didn't wait for his ex-teacher's approval, but removed the last piece of garment on him, caressing the limp legs in a down-to-earth-way that Snape found quite charming. If a little irritating. For all he knew Percy could have been cleaning a cauldron, a diligent pupil doing his best, but no personal attachment to the case at hand. Well, why should he?

Snape tried to breathe calmly and adjust his raving thoughts. He was not too proud of himself. And none too satisfied either. He would have liked this to go on. On and on and on. He had already said that he would. And now he had only lasted for – well, a very humiliating amount of time. 

The dark blue eyes looked at him as if waiting for instructions. Sitting on his feet and knees, stark naked between the open and still shivering legs of his former teacher, the boy could have been at class, awaiting instructions how to proceed with the matter. Well, after another glance – he didn't seem to have lost his own impetus. Snape felt a spark of new interest at the sight. 

Plus, the boy had learned to read minds. Idiot, he called himself shortly after this thought, he is a madam of a whorehouse, and he knows how to deal with things. The boy who was Percy grabbed into the nightstand and handed a small vial over to Severus. Who cocked an eyebrow at him but gulped the content without further ado. Idiotic, maybe, but Percy Weasley had no reason to kill him. His head jerked up. But what did he know about the person who impersonated Percy? Nothing, nothing at all. For all he knew, this whole thing could have been a set up of the dark side to kill all the people at Hogwarts. And what a good idea. He blinked rapidly, fighting his bout of panic with breathing and trying to think rationally. He was not Moody, no he wasn't. 

He felt a touch on his shoulder. "Relax, Severus", the slightly amused voice said. "Don't let your paranoia get the better of you. It's only a revivifying potion." Snape glared at the boy, no, the man, but didn't try to quibble. It helped that he tasted the unmistakable tingle of ginger and ginseng and felt new fire running through his veins.

"Good", a voice, the old Percy Weasley had never had, said. "Now you are ready to get on with it." "Hm?", Severus managed to pretend to be indifferent, but that changed by the minute. The sight of that sweet white skin, freckled and gleaming with a hint of sweat, bespeaking his state of arousal as much as the more obvious token raking the air and prodding him in the inner thigh, added to the potion he had taken. Indifference was far from him. His brain was frantically calling up and abolishing positions. He looked at the boy with a touch of new lust in his unfathomable eyes. They roused a spark in the dark blue eyes in front and a grin that turned the thin face into something Snape couldn't remember having seen before. But he rather liked his Weasley like that. No one would have thought of Percy Weasley as an erotic dream come true, but this incarnation surely was. All of him dripped with knowledge and a nonchalance the young boy had surely not had. Snape noticed that his mouth was watering. Disgusting, but true. "Speaking of getting on with it", he drawled, "don't you think it high time to make the best of two very good potions as long as their effects last?"

The blue eyes lit up. "Just waiting for you, love", the boy whispered in a hoarse voice and even as Severus knew that this denomination didn't mean a thing, especially not the real thing, he couldn't help being quite – touched - by it. He grabbed the shoulders of the boy – lean but well-muscled, he must get some kind of exercise, his drowsy brain decided, while the rest of him enjoyed the touch and the feel of the texture of the skin – and pulled him onto him. The boy obliged willingly, slithering over him like an animal that was not so very Gryffindor. Perhaps he overrated this house thing, Snape's brain thought lazily before giving in to pleasure. And biting was something the boy would do quite well, too. And more. Much more. 

They were lying together on the bed after a long time and more positions than Snape had come to imagine before. It had all been very satisfying and Snape's body felt better than it had felt for years. But his – well other parts he wouldn't name for fear of laughing at himself, were a bit – sad. Post-orgasmic trauma of some kind, he wanted to belittle his feelings like he used to. But part of him wasn't fooled. It knew all too well that he was sad. Sad that this wasn't the real thing. Sad that any time soon the boy would change into quite another person. A person Snape liked well enough, but wasn't and would never become his dream come true. Well, and just at this moment, being weak and satisfied and tired, he gave in to temptation and be honest, if only to himself. He would have rather liked to have this Percy with him. All times. In every way imaginable. Living with him, talking with him. Well, fucking him, of course, too. And none too seldom. But, alas, things being like they were, he had settle for less. Which was considerable more than he would have expected for his life some time ago. He would brew and deliver Polyjuice potion and sample the advantages of being a friend of the house. Somehow he would blackmail the younger Weasleys into getting him something from their older brother. He was not above a little criminal offence if he thought he could get away with it. And he would give in to temptation more than he wanted, he knew it just now. Knowing it would be bitter-sweet at the most. But that was sweeter than his whole life up to this moment. 

"Severus?". Oh yes. He was still there. Strange, come to think of it. He must have got the recipe wrong. Surely there had been hours idled away with – sex? Well, not exactly idled. He felt a smug smile tug at his lips. He looked over to the face he – well, loved. Somehow he could as well think it. It was not dangerous, not as it would have been had it been the real thing. 

"Yes?" What would there be now? Business relations? The setting of a regular date? He was open to anything, well, quite literally. The smug smile broke out, he knew it. 

"I have to tell you something, Sev." The voice sounded a bit afraid and it felt strange to hear that pet name after the deed was done. Not bad, in a way, but reminding him of things that could not be had. Well, he had never been sorry for himself, well, not for long, anyway, and he wouldn't start just yet. 

"What is it?" He tried to keep his voice as calm and low as he could. What could it possibly be? Nothing this person said could hurt him. The person was not important enough. It was only the potion.

"I...". Must be something big, it seemed. Couldn't meet him again, not like that. Oh well, his life was just like that. Nothing to be mad about. 

"What?" His voice sounded a bit impatient, he couldn't help it, it was like that. He closed his eyes, he didn't want to see the change that was soon to come. Must be. 

Something soft touched his cheek. He opened one eye. And saw a freckled hand holding a red lock of hair. 


	8. Epilogue

Epilogue 

Severus moved uncomfortably in his too tight robe. Everything was too tight, nowadays. His robes, this house, Albus standing so close. He shifted a little. Albus followed. Of course. "See Severus", the old man beamed into his ear, "Told you so." 

Severus groaned, but held out his hand to his newly betrothed. "See, Mr. Weasley-Snape, you owe me a box of this champagne thingy you seem to be so overly fond of." Percy grinned. His face lit up as he did so and Severus was loath to admit that this hit him in the stomach every time. It was ridiculous, really. More ridiculous still, that he plotted things to make this smile appear. 

A slim hand reached into his well-groomed hair and a nose dived into his ear. Severus hated it with all his heart. It tickled and was undignified. "I am fond of it, Sev, I grant you, but you are the one who behaves naughtily under its influence." 

"Hrmpfh", said Severus and tried to suppress a grin. It was easier when his gaze fell on the faces of the Potter-Weasley-Malfoy-Granger foursome. It couldn't be helped. Molly wouldn't have heard of anything like a small and quiet ceremony, preferably in a dungeon on some deserted island in the south. South pole, would be more like it. He sighed deeply. Well, at least Crouch had lost what was left of his sanity long ago, so he didn't have to put up with that idiot on his wedding. Percy had been rather fond of him in his younger and more foolish days. And Arthur was minister of magic now, and Snape could cope with his father in law quite well. A little too fond of Muggle artefacts, but nothing too desperately idiotic.

Which was a completely other thing with his new – brothers in law. He snorted. The idea to be related to Fred and George Weasley satisfied his inner Slytherin to a degree that was astonishing. They must be hurt by that more than him. Bill and Charlie were okay, they worked all around the globe and wouldn't be seen often. Well, and the face of Ronald had really been something when the two of them had come out at last.

It had been something of a shock, Severus remembered fondly. He liked Molly well enough, she was okay for a witch that had bred so many havoc wreakers of Hogwarts. She had made his love, too. And the little Weasley, Ginevra, was quite all right, even if she was a little too fond of Potter to be exactly to his taste. But that was none of his concern, really. 

It had been three months after their initial tryst that they had decided to stay together and make it official. After all, Percy had waited long enough for Severus to make up his mind, as he said. Severus hit him on the head, and quite hard at that, whenever he said something the like, but he was pleased none the less. 

So Percy had called a family meeting and used his considerable powers of persuasion to make Severus come, too. Well, Severus had been as adverse to the idea as was to be expected, but had given in out of a strange sense of duty. After all, he had no family to confess to and so it was only fair that he helped his – well, partner, to come to terms with his. And there were issues to talk about, oh yes.

Where had they met?, an excited Molly wanted to know after the initial shock of Percy bringing Severus Snape of all people home as his chosen one. Wrong gender, wrong age, and wrong person altogether, Severus knew of the natural response to him. But the Percy the family thought they knew was not exactly the Percy he was propositioning. 

Snape was sitting like a black eagle over all the freckled red heads crammed into the tiny living room of the Weasley family home. On this question he exchanged glances with Percy, who appeared as cool and calm as could be. He appeared. Snape knew the signs of excitement on his husband to be. They hadn't exactly planned the conversation. Snape had wanted to, but Percy had just sighed and told him that would be impossible. Snape, just for a moment trying to imagine all Weasleys in one room, shuddered and gave in. Percy was right. 

On a matter concerning potions, he had answered that initial question coolly. That resulted in many glib jibes at the expense of Percy, about cauldron thickness and the like. Percy kept his calm remarkably well, but Severus found he was clenching his teeth. He could just imagine for the first time, how it must have been for someone like his lover to grow up in a family where he was an alien. He could see clearer than ever, why Percy had become such a scrupulous follower of rules. And had abandoned said rules head over heels and gone into a completely different direction, when his hero of rule-obeying, Barty Crouch, was found out. Percy had told him, after their love-making, of his desperate need for letting go. For living. Leading his own life. But he only really comprehended it when he saw the whole bunch of siblings, and none of them saw the Percy he knew. 

Severus managed the whole talk quite wonderfully, though, not giving in to temptation to hex the whole horde to Siberia and beyond. 

They staid for the night and that proved more than a bit awkward. It was when he and Percy were caught in an indiscreet moment, down in the garden. It wasn't as if anything serious had happened, but the twin who had walked in on them, went all screaming and shouting with a glee that was even more ridiculous than usual. 

"Hey, you are actually having sex? Something like it, at any rate? Wow, Perce, who would have thought? Even if it is the greasy git, I would never have thought you capable of that." And of course all the red heads around came running to see just what was the matter. Well, and that was that. 

Severus clenched his teeth in memory. He could and would have lived with the ridicule on his sexuality. But he would not have Percy abused by his idiot brothers any more. He was his to abuse, and his alone. So he gave them an earful telling them just what their brother was doing as a second job, a job that earned the family their first decent living, by the way. 

They were totally dumb-founded. And after that stadium, flabbergasted. And after that watched Percy with an admiration that bordered on adoration. He could live with that. And Percy earned it, had earned it in his life-long struggle for appreciation, silently enduring the verbal flailing of his siblings. Snape grabbed the arm of his husband. He would kill the next one who thought of their marriage as a business relation. Well, that was good too. Just some more years and they would be free to go wherever they wanted. Well, provided there was no new rise of Voldemort and his in-laws would somehow learn to support themselves. Well, didn't matter. Severus sighed. It was as good a place here with Percy at his side than any where else.

His face showed his evil glare, taking in all the mindless twits he had to call wedding guests, but a soft touch of his husband and a grin, promising a great many things afterwards, made him grin, too, inwardly at last.

Yes, Albus had been quite right. What of it?

- _The end -_


End file.
